Steam-boiler header.



\ No. 796,829. PATENTED AUG.1,1905.

4 I. HARTER, JR.

STEAM BOILER HEADER. APPLICATION FILED 822129.1904.

2 SHEETSSHEBT l;

PATENTED AUG. 1, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m m, momumocmwml. WASHINGTON. n. c.

I HARTER, Jn. 'STBAM BOILER HEADER.

APIP LIOATIOH FILED EEPT. 29, 1904.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC HARTER, JR.,- OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

STEAM-BOILER HEADER.

T0 data/11cm it may concern;

Be'it known that I,'IsAAo HARTER, J a, of Mansfield, Richland county, Ohio, have in vented a newand useful Steam-Boiler Header, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which.

Figure 1 isa front elevation of my improved header. Fig. 2"is a longitudinal section on the irregular line II II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section looking in thedirection as distinguished from those in which the header receives groups of tubes.

Heretofore in single headers the hand-holes have usually been arranged to receive external caps. This use of external caps necessitates the machining of the cap-seats or the use of external gaskets, and,moreove r, such structures are not well adapted for high pressures. As the present boiler practice is tending toward high pressures, it has become important to provide a single header with internal caps forthe hand-holes, as such caps are much better adapted to withstand such pressures. The difficulty in adapting inner caps to a single header lies in obtaining sufficient space for the seat of the cap without increasing the spacesbetweenthe tubes of adjacent headers to an extent which would reduce the economy in heating. My invention overcomes this difiiculty and provides a single header with inner caps which are given the proper seating-space without increasing the tube-spacing beyond a desirable amount or that commonly obtained with anoutside cap. In the preferred form of my invention the tube-spacing is equal throughoutthat is, every tube is equidistant from the other adjacent tubes. The invention further 'does away with the necessity of machining the cap-seat and provides a tubeseat well adapted to withstand the heavy strains caused by expanding the tube within it.

In the drawings, in which I show a preferred form of my invention, 2 represents the header-body, which is provided on one side with tube-seats 3, these being preferably arranged in zigzag .or stepped surfaces to pro- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 29, 1904. Serial No. 226,495.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

, Ivide for inclination of the tubes relative to the plane of the header while retaining the seat at right angles to the axes of the tubes.

The opposite wall 4 of the header, which con tains the hand-holes 5, preferably lies in a general flat plane, the hand-holes being spaced opposlte to the tube-seats to give access to each tube and permit the removal and insertion thereof. The hand-holes are not circular in outline, but are oval in contour, so that the longitudinal diameter is of greater length than the transverse-diameter. The use of this shape enables me to space the tubes equidistantly. These elongated hand-holes are arranged with their longitudinal diameters at successively changing or opposing angles, as shown, and with this form the cap maybe easily inserted through the longer axis and then turned around to its proper position.

The cap 6 preferably consists of a forging, with its central portion arched or struck up, as shown at 7, having a central hole 8 to receive the securing-bolt. Around the struckup portion, which centers the cap on its seat, its surface is preferably provided with a groove 8 to receive a sealing-gasket. bolt 9 extends through the hand-hole to the outside, where it extends through a spider or crab 10, Whose legs rest on the wall of the header around the hole'in the usual manner.

The innerend of the bolt is preferably riveted into the cap, its outer end receiving a nut.

The inner flat-cap seat 11 of the header is preferably raised and projects inwardly from the wall to provide for grinding or milling, if desired. The shape of this seat of course corresponds to the shape of the hand-hole. The edge portion of the cap is approximately the width of the raised seat.

In order to strengthen the header-wall in the portions between the hand-holes, Ipreferably cast the header with a transverse rib 12, which is preferably external. I may form this rib either internally or externally; but I prefer to make it external for ease in casting. These ribs extend between the lines of the seats for the caps.

In casting the header, where it is formed of cast-iron 1 preferably form prints in the core, which prints receive portions of metal chills, against which the metal of the header flows to form the tube-seat. These chills are made of such volume that while suflicient chilling effect is obtained to change the structure of the metal around the tube-seat the metal is not converted into white iron, such as pro The ' the tube-seats.

dueed in the chilling of car-wheels and similar articles. The volume of the chill is such that after the partial chilling action the heat of the molten metal is taken up by the chill, the parts then cooling slowly, so that a toughening and annealing action is obtained upon If the chill were large in volume as compared to the metal cast against it, the tube-seat would be brittle and liable to break when the tube is expanded; but by using a short or thin chill of disk form I am enabled to change the character of the metal, so th ata tough and strong structure is afforded which will successfully resist the strains due to expanding the tube.

The advantages of my invention result from the providing of asingle header havinginside seats of suitable size for the caps without necessitating increasing the size of the header, and consequently the spacing of the tubes. My construction affords the same spacing as where exterior caps are used and at the same time provides the proper seat area for the inner caps to resisthigh pressures. In the preferred form the tubes are spaced equidistantly throughout, and the caps may be easily inserted and removed. The hardened and annealed tube-seat avoids the liability of injuring the seat when expanding the tube, and the header may be readily cast with less difficulty than the header having the outside cap of usual form.

Many variations may be made in the size and form of the header, caps, and seats without departing from my invention, since 1 consider myself the first to provide a sinuous header with oval holes and inner caps, giving proper width of tube-seat for high pressures without changing the spacing of tubes and providing for removal of the tubes.

It will be seen that the maximum diameter or axis must be equal to the minor diameter or axis, plus twice the desired width of the seat, plus a function of the thickness of the cap which is employed to close the hand-hole. The function will differ in a ratio not neeessarily dependent directly upon the differing thickness of the cap and will be an amount such as to allow easy entrance of the cap through its hole.

1. A sinuous header having 'asingle line of tube-seats and hand-holes with inside seats registering with said tube-seats and permitting removal and renewing of tubes,said handholes being oval in contour and arranged with their major diameters in zigzag form corresponding to the outline of the header; substantially as described.

2. A sinuous header having a single line of tube-seats with hand-holes havinginside seats registering with the tube-seats and permitting removal and renewing of tubes, said holes being oval in contour, and each having its major axis equal to the minor axis, plus twice the width of the seat, plusa function of the thickness of the cap; substantially as described.

3. A sinuous header having a single line of tube-seats with hand-holes having inside seats registering therewith and permitting removal and renewing of tubes, said hand-holes being of oval shape with the major axes in zigzag form corresponding to the contour of the header; substantially as described.

4. A sinuous header having a single line ol tube-seats and hand-holes having inside seats registering with said tube-seats and permitting removal and renewing of tubes,said handholes being oval in contour and arranged with their major diameters in zigzag form corresponding to the outline of the header, said header having transverse strengthening-ribs between the hand-holes; substantially as described.

5. A sinuous header having a single line of tube-seats with hand-holes having inside seats registering therewith and permitting removal and renewing of tubes, each hand-hole being oval in contour, said hand-holes arranged with their major axes in zigzag form corresponding to the contour of the header and having their narrow ends pointing downwardly; substantially as described.

6. A sinuous header having a single line of tube-seats with hand-holes having inside seats registering therewith and arranged to allow removal and insertion of the tubes, said handholes being oval in contour and arranged in zigzag form, the major diameter of each being greater than the minor diameter plus twice the width of the seat; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ISAAC HAR'ITIGR, .ln.

Witnesses:

J. ROWLAND BROWN, KENNEDY PARK. 

